Tuesday

May 15, 2018 at 7:28 PM

Tuslaw scored five runs in the first inning and freshman pitcher Abby Eberly did the rest as the Mustangs advanced to Wednesday's Division III district title game in Creston.

CRESTON While Tuslaw tallied early and often, Norwayne was unable to take advantage of several scoring opportunities in the first few innings and the Mustangs went on to a 10-1 victory over the Bobcats in a Division III Creston District semifinal Tuesday afternoon.

After the Mustangs (12-8) rode out to a 5-0 first-inning lead, the Bobcats wasted several chances to get right back into the contest. They loaded the bases in each of the first three innings, but were able to answer with just a single run.

Tuslaw starting pitcher Abby Eberly got out of each jam by getting a strikeout to end the threat in the first inning, inducing a groundout in the second and ending the third-inning scoring threat with another punchout.

“She got out of some jams today,” said Tuslaw head coach Dan Greenwell of his freshman pitcher. “That was huge for us. I tell you, for a freshman, she kept her composure and pitched a good game for us.”

Consecutive singles by Kierra Frascone and Lauren Grage set the tone in the top half of the first inning for Tuslaw. Following a walk to Faith Baker, two-run singles by both Bree Cooper and Sierra Neff were followed by a run-scoring single by Jaylin Eberhart.

That was all the runs Eberly needed as she allowed just the lone run while striking out six and walking three, going the distance on 133 pitches.

Tuslaw advanced to today’s 5 p.m. district title game against Manchester, which topped Northwestern 4-2 in Tuesday’s second game.

“Those five runs were huge,” added Greenwell. “Because against a pitcher like that (Kennedy Kay) it can be tough to come back if you don’t get a lead against a team like that. I was very, very happy we scored five in the first inning.”

Kennedy Lonsbury did record a two-out, run-scoring single for Norwayne (19-4) in the second inning to trim the lead to 5-1, but Tuslaw answered with five more runs in the third and fourth innings.

Frascone’s run-scoring infield single and Grage’s two-run single pushed the lead to 8-1 in the third.

Cooper led off the fourth inning with a triple and scored when Hannah Miller reached on an error. Miller plated the game’s final run, scoring on an RBI grounder by Eberhart.

Frascone and Grage were an offensive force as the duo combined for five hits, three runs and three RBIs.

“Those five runs felt so good because we were a little nervous coming into this game,” said Frascone. “We played them before and that game went eight innings. But we knew if we came out and hit the ball, we would come out of here with a win.”

A true leadoff, slap hitter who uses her speed to disrupt the defense, Frascone understands her individual game plan.

“I feel confident going into the game that if I can get a hit and get on base, my team feeds off of that and it helps them to get going, too,” she said. “It is really important to what we do.”

“I was pleasantly surprised by our production up and down the lineup,” said Greenwell. “Their pitcher is one of the best in the state, she is really good. For us getting on them early was big and hitting the ball that well throughout the game was huge because you don’t normally see that against a pitcher that good. When you have two really good slappers in the one and two-hole, it puts so much stress on the defense. It really makes it hard when they are on base and you saw that today.”

For Norwayne coach Bob Young, the first-inning Tuslaw scoring was the difference.

“It is huge when a good team scores that many early on,” he said. “It makes it really tough to come back. Those players at the top of the lineup are tough outs and you have to execute. A couple of times we did and a couple of times we didn’t. It is the whole aspect of the game, that you have to play an entire game.

“I told the girls that all year long we have come up with timely hitting and today we didn’t. We had the bases loaded three times and a couple of other innings we had runners in scoring position and didn’t get anything. You just have to come up with timely hitting especially against good teams.”

Tuslaw was paced by Grage, Cooper, Eberhart and Neff who each had two RBIs. Majestic Sales had a trio of singles with Neff (single, double) and Cooper (two singles, triple) and Grage (three singles) adding to the hit parade.

Kay had three singles for Norwayne with Taylor Boley adding a pair of hits.

“I told the girls to not hang their heads, we’ve had a great year,” said Young. “We haven’t won a league title here in years and that is on the line Friday against Hillsdale. If we can get that, it would be icing on the season.”

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